I play guitar, and have for a very long time. You are probably wondering what the hell that has to do with bodybuilding, lee priest, weider/ami or the fucked-up Olympia, but I promise you, it all ties in. stay with me.
Some of you will remember a few years back when limp bizkit was holding the tryout tour, going around to different cities and letting guitarists audition for the spot in the band. So when they came to Austin, about 5000 guitarists, myself included lined up for a shot. When we finally made it inside, they had a few legal documents for us to sign. One was a document saying that we were only auditioning, and this was by no means assuring us a spot in the band. No shit. The second said that we were to play an original song that had never been recorded by anyone. No limp bizkit songs, not a killer Hendrix cover, no. it had to be a song of mine, something I had created. Not a problem. I could get on stage and shit out something better than most of the bullshit on the radio now a days. The third one, however, was different. It said that whatever we played, which you will remember had to be original, now became the intellectual property of limp bizkit and Geffen records. so we had a minute to play. One. One minute where probably 50,000 guitarists got on stage and played a very original, very intimate part of themselves that, just for the privilege of auditioning in front of L.B.’s representatives, now belonged to someone that didn’t make it up. So in theory, limp bizkit, could take those 50,000 one minute auditions, and because they now owned those pieces of music, one of them being mine, could create tracks, or an entire CD on music they didn’t write. Tell me if that isn’t bullshit. Musicians struggle and sweat and bleed to create something that someone else will hear and appreciate and, maybe, want other people to hear. That’s how they survive. And for limp bizkit/Geffen records to come along and say just for the privilege of one minute of audition time, we get to own, and potentially market as OUR OWN, something you created is, at least to me, awfully fvcked up.
Every athlete that signs the contract to be in the Olympia signed THIRTEEN pages of legalese basically stating that all the images from the pay per view are now owned by weider/ami FOR LIFE. It’s the same thing at the Arnold, but not in as much dense paperwork. Also, if you are chosen to be in the battle for the Olympia dvd you have no choice but to do it, and also get no type of royalty or compensation. You also don’t get a kitchen in your hotel room, you don’t get to have a shuttle from the contest to the expo (an hour away at the convention center). Hell, as of the athletes meeting, now just being an IFBB pro doesn’t guarantee you tickets to an ifbb event you aren’t competing in. you have to call ahead and ask permission from the promoter to attend the event for free, and they have the ability to tell you no, thank you Bob Chick. When I played high school football, they gave us passes to attend all the other school sporting events for free, but somehow professional athletes cant get that privilege. You are contractually obligated to, after at least twelve weeks of dieting and nothing to drink for probably a day, attend the vip meet and greet the night before the contest. Couldn’t wait till after the contest, like the first hour at the expo? Nope. The night before. I know that’s what I’d want to do… basically, for the privilege of competing on stage at the poorly run “super bowl of bodybuilding”, you get treated like ass, and weider/ami gets to make oodles of dollars off the pictures, pay per view and dvd of you. Of the body that you created. You know how much weider/ami made last year? I do. It was in forbes magazine in the issue that talked about the $10 billion industry bodybuilding and fitness has become. They made $498 million dollars, including the Olympia pay per view and subsequent video sales. Almost a half a billion dollars. Olympia prize money? The be dispersed among the athletes without which there would be no weider/ami? A little over 600 large. Or about1.3 % roughly, that is. And the athletes cant get a room with a kitchen in it? All that money they make off the athletes, and they cant get a fruit basket, or tickets to other events.
Im a lee priest fan. You need to know that. I train at one of the gyms he visits in Austin and ive had the honor of many conversations with him. He loves his fans and he truly loves to train, which is the heart and soul of our sport. Take away the stage, the tan the posing trunks, the glory the money, the applause. Take it all away and he, like I, would still train. That’s why im a lee priest fan. Was his decision right or wrong? I’m not one to say. But I understand. By the way, I was one of a hundred guitarists that got called back to actually audition in front of limp bizkit. Probably to give away another piece of myself just for the privilege. Fvck that…
Joe, Mr. Weider, if you are reading this, I know the contest is not under your control anymore, but you can interviene. You know, I know your neighbors in vegas, barb and cliff. Ive seen the gated community off summerlyn parkway and the TWO amazing houses you own on either side of their property. Ive seen the million dollar condo in vegas across from the wynn. We’ve met. Do you remember? I was the little fat kid just getting into body building about five years ago? Maybe not. You gave me the july 1999 60th anniversary (biggest issue ever) muscle and fitness with you on the cover, and even signed it. Look at where your contest has gone. Like I said, ive seen the homes. I know the financial figures. The athletes have taken good care of you. Please, take care of them…
